


Julian x Fem!Apprentice

by raito_kazuko



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Aftercare, Bathing/Washing, Choking, Drunk Sex, Drunken Confessions, F/M, Hotel Sex, Oral Sex, Plague, Rope Bondage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-27
Updated: 2019-02-27
Packaged: 2019-11-06 08:37:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17936453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raito_kazuko/pseuds/raito_kazuko
Summary: The apprentice convinces Julian to take a night off while working in the palace. They head to the Rowdy Raven to see where the night goes.Julian x Pre-Plague ApprenticePossible Spoilers?(This is my first fic please be kind;;)I do not own The Arcana or any of the characters





	1. Part 1

" **Damn it!** " Julian yelled as he slammed his book  closed, creasing some of his notes between the yellowed pages. You looked over from your own book of healing magic history, startled at the sudden noise.

"Jules? You okay?" You tenderly asked, getting up from your creaky chair to walk over to him. Standing behind him, you put your hands on his hunched shoulders, trying to massage away some of the tension settled there. Sometimes it felt like you two wouldn't move for days, researching nonstop to try to find a cure for the plague wreaking though Vesuvia. Needless to say, neither of your desk chairs were very comfortable in the makeshift office. Head in his hands, eyes rimmed red from fatigue, he slumped into you, your hands a welcome comfort.

It hadn't always been like this, the doctor had kept up his own kind of  professionalism for a while in the beginning. But, as time went on, you  two grew more comfortable and became friends, rather than coworkers in his lab. Since the plague had begun to take over the city, you two spent an increasing amount of time together. When Count Lucio called for help, Doctor Devorak had asked you to accompany him to the palace. Since then, neither of you hardly left his small office, both frantically searching for a cure. Your relationship hadn't always been strictly professional, and Julian _did_ like to drink a lot. He got  sappy sometimes, and you weren't going to deny him. Since you first started working at the lab, you had always found him charming. The more you got to know him, the more you saw yourself with him. You weren't sure if he remembered what he said, but it's a comfort to know your feelings aren't totally unrequited. Unfortunately enough, the plague crisis got in the way of anything that could've happened.

"I don't understand. I've been thinking in circles for days, none of this makes sense." He groaned, clearly at his limit for the time being. You've seen Julian get like this, and knew nothing productive would come from either of you for the time being. Even with Count Lucio seemingly breathing down your necks, you both were only human. You hated to see Julian so frustrated, knowing he'd blame himself later for not being able to push himself further.

"Let's take a break, then. We both need one. And frankly, this office is getting stuffy. Let's go out tonight, refresh our minds a bit." It had been entirely too long since either of you had left the office, you decided. You knew there was a bar  Julian particularly liked in his corner of town, the Rowdy Raven. Nadia had taken favor to you, so you were sure you could arrange some  transportation to the place fairly easily. The doctor leaned his head back in the chair, looking at you upside down. His gangly arms dangled at his sides as his back pressed into you. You could tell he wanted to,  but there was just so much left to do. However, you knew Julian, and you knew he'd never turn down a drink either. Before the plague started, Julian had been quite the regular at his favorite taverns.

"C'mon Doc, we haven't gotten any new leads in weeks. I've been staring at the same pages all day, I've practically got them memorized by now." You made a pouty face, knowing while he wouldn't indulge himself, he'd certainly acquiesce your own wishes. A small smile crept over his face, blooming into his signature grin as he thought more about it.

"I suppose one night away wouldn't hurt."

 


	2. Part 2

You both agreed not to talk about work tonight, knowing you wouldn't make any major breakthroughs in the tavern. Julian quickly slipped into his old ways, telling extravagant stories of his swashbuckling days. You were never sure if he exaggerated them or not. They seemed too fantastic to be true, but he had the scars to prove them. Needless to say, both of you were more than a few drinks in.

Him and his damned salty bitters. You thought they were disgusting and refused the things, preferring lighter drinks with exotic fruits in them. Having just finished his story and his drink, he left your rather private booth in the back and stumbled his way to the bar for a refill. It had been a while since either of you had drank, and you were finding yourself unable to hold your alcohol as well as usual. Face flushed with drink, you watched him walk to the bar. You knew the doctor was attractive, but _damn_ you had never quite realized how much you appreciated that man's ass. 

You vaguely heard him weakly convincing the barkeep "-- last one, I promis-*hic*". Julian, quite the charmer, could talk anyone into anything. He turned around, beaming at you, and raised his drink in cheers from across the room. Chest puffed out in confidence, he sauntered back to the booth and nearly fell into it on your side. He paused, suddenly deep in thought, and then, seemingly totally sober for a moment, looked directly into your eyes. 

"Thank you. Really. For tonight, I- ah... I didn't realize how much I needed a break."

Almost immediately, his illusion of sobriety totally disappeared, his form slumping onto you to show how inebriated he really was. Not used to this level of sincerity from him, and suddenly very aware of his leg pressing into yours in the cramped booth, you were speechless. All you could do was stare back into his tired eyes, lost in thought. You took him in fully, committing every detail of his gorgeous face to memory. Starting at his mussed curls, down to his hooded eyes, that nose you loved, finally landing on his lips. In your drunken haze, you did what you'd never thought you'd do. You leaned up and kissed him. You were so surprised, you pulled away without realizing if he was kissing you back or not. Looking away, flushed red to your ears, you screamed out in your own head " _why did I do that,_ _I'm so stupid, I've ruined_ _everything_ _._ " 

When you finally gather your thoughts enough to string together I sentence, all you can stutter out is "I- I'm so s-" before he grabs either side of your face with both hands and presses his lips against yours once more. His lips were incredibly -almost unnaturally, he definitely exfoliates- soft, and warm, and _hungry_.

 


	3. Part 3

After he pulled away, you let out a breath you hadn't realized you were holding. The kiss left you reeling. You weren't sure where to go from here, there's no way anything could happen. There was just too much going on in Vesuvia for either of you to be distracted. Hell, the _Count_ had the plague! With his life on the line, there was no way any of this could happen.

" _Julian-_ " You stammered out, but he cut you off with a finger to your lips.

"Now now, _lyubimaya_ , you started this." He knew you were flustered, and he loved every second of it. It wasn't often his "always-has-their-shit-together" apprentice reduced to a blushy mess. 

"Lieu-- what?" You knew he spoke a lot of languages, but he'd never spoken any of them to you. Admittedly, you really liked his new pet name for you. 

"Erm... 'Dear' in my mother tongue. You don't mind, now, do you, _lyubimaya_?" He drew out the last word, teasing you with it. His voice dropped a few octaves, suddenly remarkably sultry. He cocked his eyebrow at you, waiting for a response. 

"N-no, I suppose not. But- Julian, we can't-- there's nothing we can- " Starting and restarting sentences, trying to find the words to tell him _this can't happen._ The stakes were too high for failure. He had to understand that, right? Surely he agreed. Wading through foggy thoughts trying to find the words you wanted, to no avail. Defeated, you sank your head against his shoulder. He let out a sigh, forgetting his not-so-subtle plays at you. He leaned against you too, both sitting in silence for a beat. 

"You have thought about it, though, haven't you? How great we could've been together. In another life, maybe" he mumbled. You nodded and picked up his hand, playing with his gloved fingers. You always loved his hands, so steady and sure. He turned and kissed your hair, whispering into it "After we cure this damned plague, I'll have to take you out on another date." 

You just smiled and shook your head, there was no getting out of this now. He would always poke fun at you for whatever he could; and now since everything was out in the open, you'd never hear the end of it. 

You looked around the room and noticed you two were nearly the only ones left in the place. Glancing at the clock on the wall, you noticed the tavern was about to close in the next half hour or so. 

You lightly shook him, "Jules, we should get going. They're about to close up shop here." He knew how you hated to stay past closing time. He moved to get up, having trouble keeping his balance. 

" _Lyubimaya_ , I don't think we're going far tonight. I'll get a room upstairs, my treat." You nearly heard satisfaction in his voice. He unsteadily made his way over to the bar, leaning heavily on different chairs and tables along the way. 

"Good sir, my friend over there is entirely too drunk to make it all way home. I think we'll be needing a room tonight," he lightly slurred his words. Clearly the barkeep agreed, and gave him the key to one of the two-bedrooms upstairs.

It took him a good minute to come back, but you didn't mind watching him stumble towards you. Somehow, he still looked good doing it. His gloved hand took yours, leading you upstairs. Both leaning on one another for support, you took the stairs one at a time.

 


	4. Part 4

Once in the room, with your jackets hung safely on the door, you  took in the scene in front of you. Julian had fallen, face first, onto  one of the beds. Boots on and all. Your face twisted a bit, he knew you  hated shoes on the bed. You quickly shed your outer clothes and shoes, deciding to sleep in your undershirt and baggy pants. Walking over, you pushed him right side up and  started pulling on one of his shoes. Damn these knee highs, you knew  they looked great on him but they were so impractical!  Finally tugging the first free, he stirred a bit from the commotion,  chuckling slightly at your struggles. 

" My _lyubimaya,_ always taking care of me..." 

Once  you had worked the second one off, you moved to get up. Hearing him  whine a bit, you turned to see what had bothered him. He reached his  hands out to you, beckoning to lay down with him. 

"Please, _lyubimaya,_ humor me tonight. _Krasavitsa_ ,  come lay with me." Julian had never looked so needy. Reaching out to  you with a pleading look in his eyes. You decided to acquiesce, you  couldn't bear the look of want on his face. Instead of walking away, you  scooted closer to him. Tucking your head in his neck, you cuddled up to  him. Luckily the beds were big enough so you weren't too cramped, and  you might have been able to fall asleep in his arms. Until he started  squirming. He was struggling to pull his gloves off, muttering under his breath. 

_"_ _Blyad', nahui eti perchatki._ _..--"_ You had no idea what he was saying, but it didn't sound very nice. Reaching up, you helped slide his gloves off to free his hands. He moved to fumble the buttons on his overcoat, clearly uncomfortable in his restrictive clothes. You propped yourself up on your elbows, undoing the buttons on his coat for him. It took a few minutes, the drink sloshing around your brain made your fine motor skills not-so-fine. Halfway down, he started giggling at your struggle. You lost your composure, thinking how silly you must look concentrating on undoing a few simple buttons. You pressed your forehead into his chest, losing yourself and laughing with him. You helped him sit up, pulling the overcoat off. He ran his fingers through your hair, smoothing it out of your face. 

"Look at you, _lyubimaya,_ you should undress me more often," he grinned at you, something else clearly running through his mind.

"Don't get any ideas, this was just so you'd stop squirming so much! I want to get some sleep, now lay back down," You looked away, unable to meet his suggestive eyes. Something changed in his demeanor, and he obeyed almost immediately. 

"Don't tell me you haven't thought about me like that, _lyubimaya,_ I heard you that night," he teased.

Your mind suddenly jumped back to the instance he spoke of. Blushing hard, you pushed him away. You had hoped he was asleep that night, though clearly the man was more restless than you thought. The lab wasn't big, by any means, the walls paper thin. Having woken from a particularly _suggestive_ dream about the doctor, you found yourself tossing and turning, aching for some kind of relief. That night, you hissed his name while tangled in the sheets of your bed. 

Speechless, your mouth gaped open. How could you deny him? It was just once, but he had you backed into a corner. He knew you wouldn't lie to him, especially not after how the night had been going. No, tonight was a night for truths. 

"Tell me what you want, _lyubimaya_. Name it, and it will be yours tonight. You need only ask."

 


	5. Part 5 🍋

Pausing, you consider his offer. Thinking back to how you felt the night after your dream, a need started growing in your core. How exactly did that dream go?

" _Ah- Jules please! I'm- nngh" His head dipped between your legs, soliciting another cry from you. He grinned into you, using his tongue to draw you over the edge into oblivion_.

Who would pass up the opportunity to play out their fantasy? Certainly not you, and definitely not tonight.

Glancing over at him, you looked anywhere but his eyes. He waited for you to initiate, not wanting to push any boundaries. Clenching you hands in fists and biting your lip, you finally dared to look into his eyes. What you found there broke you. His heavily lidded eyes practically undressed you where you sat, you could tell his mind wandered towards where yours already was.

" _Fuck_ ," you muttered, giving in to what you really wanted and grabbing his collar, slamming your lips onto his. His hands immediately snaked around your hips, pulling you onto his lap. As you straddled him, you felt him through your pants, already growing hard between your legs. Your hands left his collar, dragging down to the hem of his shirt. You needed to feel his skin on yours, _now_. He ducked out of his shirt as you pulled it over his head, vaguely aiming to throw it onto the other bed in the room. He fell back onto the pillows, pulling you with him. Your chest met his, and still he seemed to be trying to pull you even closer. His hands fumbled under your shirt, finding your bare back. Shivering at the contact you so craved, you allowed him to pull the garment off you.

After it was gone, he stopped for a moment to admire your body before him. He let out a small gasp, running his hands around the curve of your hips, up your waist, and around to your back.  
"Oh _lyubimaya_ , you're simply stunning," he breathlessly let out, so low you could barely hear him. Touched at the tender sentiment, but not particularly in the mindset for patience, you took the opportunity to plant your hands on his chest and grind against him. The action certainly brought him back into the moment, accompanied by a low groan as his eyes fluttered shut. Grinding down again, you lean your bare chest into his and whisper in his ear,  
"Do you like that?"

He sucks in a breath, only able to give a strained nod. You can tell he's being careful, not sure what lines you're okay with him crossing.  
"You can touch me, Julian. Please?" You mumble into his neck between kisses, leaving purple hickeys and bite marks on him. Snapping out of his daze, he flips your positions.  
"Of course, _lyubimaya_ " moving his hands with newfound purpose, he traces patterns on your stomach down to the hem of your pants. You squirm under his touch, anticipating- no, _craving_ whats to come. He takes his time working the loose pants off you, his intention to frustrate you. He pulls your panties off with them, teasing your now bare body as he goes. He's thrilled at your reaction, pushing your hips up into him, hoping for any relief. He leans in to kiss your neck, taking his sweet time to work his way down your body. He knew the more he built you up, the harder you'd fall. Once his mouth gets to your hips, he guides your legs over his shoulders hooking his arms around your thighs and locking his hands in place on your hips. All you could do was whimper in anticipation, practically dripping with want for him.  
"Is this what you want, _lyubimaya_?" His rosy cheek leans against your inner thigh, sending sparks through your whole body.  
"Yes, Julian, please I- _ah fuck_!" He didn't wait for you to finish your sentence, a yes satisfied him enough, before sweeping his tongue over your dripping sex. Fireworks exploded behind your eyelids a he sucked your clit, breathy moans and sloppy kisses the only sound filling the room. Your fingers tangled in his hair, pulling a little harder than intended when he hit a sweet spot within you. He moaned from it, his eyes fluttering shut in pleasure, unable to keep working you. You looked down at him, he was unbelievably sexy from this angle. His hazy gray eyes gazing back at up you from between your legs, your eyes wide in surprise.You pause for a moment, confused as to why he had that look on his face.

His glistening lips curling into a grin, he reached his hand up, his thin fingers lacing through his hair on top of your own. His hand tightens around yours, biting his bottom lip as he guides you to pull his hair again, harder this time. The look on his face lit a fire inside you.

"Are you sure I won't hurt you?" you pushed out, his hand still gripped on top of yours in his hair.

"Ah-- I'm worried you won't hurt me enough," he teases a gentle kiss to your inner thigh, the brush of his lips sending lightning up your nerves. Unable to keep a level head and encouraged by his words, you push his face back into you, bucking your hips to meet him. His hands squeezed your hips, grinding you into him further. The sensation sent you reeling, you couldn't help but moan out his true name.

" _Ilya_ -" hearing his birth name slip from your lips made his core ache. Your back arching and body straining against him let him know you were close to the edge. He gathered his all his willpower, and stopped. He began planting chaste kisses on your thighs and stomach. The sudden lack of sensation between your legs made you cry out in dismay, lifting your head to look at him. He met your eyes, looking smug.

"I have much more planned for you tonight, _lyubimaya_ " he wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. Crawling over your body to kiss you, you took the opportunity to reach for his crotch, still straining in his pants. He didn't get to stop like that without consequences.

You sat up and swung your leg over his waist, pushing him over in the process. Straddling him once more, untied the rope from around his waist and undid the buttons on his pants. Nearly ripping them off, he sprung free from the confinement. You were _delighted_ at what you found, _of course_ the doctor would go bare.  You grabbed his hands, and locked them above his head, tying them with the rope.

"Is this okay?" You asked, wanting to make sure he still liked what you were doing to him. He nodded, and seemed so eager for it, you decided to see how far he wanted you to go. Grinding down on his bare length to get him wet, you snaked your hands around his neck. He shifted to give you better access at his throat, mumbling in the language he spoke before. You heard his new pet name for you mixed in with the unfamiliar words. You continued moving your hips over him, tightening your hands around his throat. Careful to watch his face for signs of pain, but finding none. His breath became ragged as he strained under your hands, but he was smiling nonetheless. Lifting your hips off him, you quickly used your hands to guide his length to your entrance. Sitting down on it, you both let out a breath as you sheathed yourself around him.

" _Pozhaluista, lyubimaya_ " he wasn't speaking anything you recognized anymore, so clouded in pleasure he slipped between languages without realizing. Setting an intense pace, you moved up and down over him. His mouth hung open, occasional growls coming from him. You wrapped your hands around his throat once more, enjoying the look on his face as he watched you ride him. His wrists began turning red from straining against the rope, so you pulled the strings loose to free him. Immediately, his hands were on you, pulling you close in a heated kiss. Your legs began to grow tired, slowing your pace a bit.

Not wanting to stop, he guided your body to flip positions once more. With him now on top, both of you quickly approached the edge. You nearly screaming his name, him rambling in various foreign languages. His movements became sporadic as you locked your ankles around his hips, allowing him to push deeper inside you.

" _Ya lublyu tebya_ " he groaned over and over as he came inside you, his unfamiliar words sending you over the edge as well. You rode out your orgasms together, digging your nails into his back; trying to hold on to reality as you saw stars.  
He flopped over on the bed beside you and pulling you close into his chest. He buried his face in your hair, and breathed you in, never wanting to move from this spot.

You weren't sure how long you laid with Julian before you fell asleep. You could spend a lifetime cuddled up to him like this.

 


	6. Part 6

The next morning, you woke up to him fidgeting in bed. The sun had risen, and it looked to be about mid-morning, though the light seemed unusually harsh today.

"How long have you been up?" you asked, voice still groggy from sleep. Rubbing your temples, you turned and looked at him. He had a soft smile across his face, as if he'd been watching you sleep. 

"Not long, I assure you." Though by his body language, you could tell this wasn't the entire truth.

"And how are you not hungover?" You head throbbed with movement, stomach rolling as you faced him. You buried your face in his chest, trying to escape the morning light. You were frustrated that you felt so sick, and yet he seemed more chipper than usual.

" _Lyubimaya_ , have you forgotten? I sailed with pirates for nearly a year, they drink rum for breakfast." He seemed particularly reminiscent of the memory. You thought it might have to do with the heavy burden of the plague resting on his shoulders at present. Even you didn't remember what it felt like to be carefree anymore. 

You just groaned as he pet your hair, trying to alleviate some of the pain you felt. Though moving away from him was nearly the last the thing you wanted in that moment, your stomach lurched as a wave of nausea hit you. Leaping from the bed, you hastily unlatched the window and leaned out it to vomit onto the alley below. He was there in an instant, holding your hair out of your face, softly patting your back. Feeling marginally better, you slumped on the wall below the window, sitting on the floor.

"Gross," you groaned, sincerely hoping no one was in the alley to see your still naked form lean out the window. 

"Come, let me take care of you." He picked you up bridal style, carrying you into the bathroom. He was a doctor, through and through. He started the bath, turning the hot water on all the way. He let you down to rinse your mouth out with water, rinsing some of the bad taste and morning breath away. The bathroom was by no means as fancy as the palace baths, but it was stocked with some different scented soaps. Once the bath was filled and steaming, you got in while he sat on the edge. He used his hands to get your hair wet, picked up a bottle of soap, and sniffed it before pouring some into his hand. His fingers working the soap into a lather on your scalp felt heavenly, and nearly worked away the headache you had before. 

"You're not going to come in, too?" You wanted to be close to him again, thoughts from the previous night skittering through your mind. You wanted to take advantage of your borrowed free time, allowing yourself to be uncensored within the walls of the guest room. He eyed the space in the tub, gauging whether or not his gangly legs could fit without being cramped. You tugged his arm a bit in an attempt to get him into the water. He complied, though he looked a bit squished sitting cross legged. You decided to take a risk, sitting on his lap so he could stretch his legs out more comfortably. Taking turns washing each other, you relished the feeling of being cared for. Making sure to take the time to look after him too, taking special care to heal the small rope burns on his wrists from the night before. When you attempted to heal the bruises and bite marks littering his neck and chest, he made a grab for your hand. 

"No, please, leave them." He requested with a small smile, kissing your fingertips. "They'll motivate me, to find a cure faster. A reminder of what to look forward to." You looked at your own body, checking to see if you had any marks from last night, too. You could vaguely see hand prints on your hips where he held you the night before. He was right, now that you'd had a taste of him, you couldn't wait to explore him more once you could go back home to the lab. Living in the palace was nice, but to say Count Lucio was demanding would be an understatement. Sometimes you could hear him screaming at Julian through the halls, something about running out of time. The thought of him actually losing his temper made you shudder. Who knew what the Count was capable of when backed into a corner?

Pushing the thoughts from your mind, you decided to cherish the time you had here with Julian. You leaned your back into his chest, relaxing into the warm water. He wrapped his arms around you, holding both each of your hands in his.

 


	7. Part 7

You both stayed in the bath until the water  chilled, neither wanting to end the intimate moments between you. You got cold first, shuddering a bit in the water.  
"Water's ran cold. Let's get dressed, Jules." Untangling your limbs from his, you got out of the tub first. Wrapping yourself a ratty towel, you handed him the other off the rack. _Damn_ did he look good in it. You walked out of the bathroom, looking at the remnants of the night before. Clothes strewn everywhere, one bed impossibly messy and the other still  perfectly made. So much for having two beds. You picked up the shirt you had worn before, noticing a big stain down the front. Sometime during the night you must have spilled something on it. Your undershirt sported the same stain.   
"Shit," you whispered. What could you wear back to the palace? You knew the lab was nearby, maybe you could stop there and borrow something of Julian's.   
"Hey, I don't have any clothes to wear back. Do you think we could stop at the lab before heading back? Maybe I could borrow something of yours."   
" _Lyubimaya_ , you're better off without them, " he grinned and lifted you into a kiss.   
"As much as I'd like that, we'd better get going. We don't want Lucio to realize we've slipped out." Julian's face grew grim as he thought of what could happen if that came to fruition. The Count could be screaming through the halls at this moment for all he knew.   
You readied to leave, topless under your big traveling cloak. Luckily, the walk from the bar to the lab was short and uneventful, though Julian teased you about it the whole way there. Julian kept some clothes at the lab, a few shirts and sleeping pants for the long nights he spent there. His clothes were oversized on you, the legs on his pants definitely too long. You cuffed the legs, hoping the palace staff wouldn't notice you wearing Julian's clothes. Before leaving the closet, you buried your nose in the too-long sleeves and breathed in his scent. Leather, smoke, and something reminiscent of rubbing alcohol. Once you left the closet, you did a twirl for him to let him see the makeshift outfit. Seeing you in his clothes made him swell with pride, as if you two were actually committed. He pulled you into one final kiss, knowing once you left the privacy of his lab, you could no longer be involved the way the last day had gone. He poured everything into it, trying to convey his emotions through this last kiss.   
His hand never left your waist on the walk back to the palace, until you came upon the gates. At that moment, you knew your time with him was up. Back to reality, and the formalities the palace staff expected between you. You cleared your throat and took a step away from him, feeling oddly small without him immediately by your side. The pain on his face was something you never wanted to witness again.

Nadia welcomed you back once through the doors, and gave you a funny look after taking in what was visable of your ill fitting clothes under the heavy traveling cloak. Even if she knew, you trusted her enough to keep your secret from her husband. She knew all too well the atrocities he was capable of, as well as the fact he didn't fight fair. If he pinned Julian's weakness, there was almost no doubt between you that Lucio would use you against him. After exchanging a look, she slightly nodded her head, letting you know your secret was safe with her.

Once back in the makeshift office, you carefully tucked Julian's clothes away in your room. Nearly every night from then on, you wore his shirt to bed. Even as your marks faded, you worked with a newfound hope that the plague could be cured quickly.   
Even so, you made a habit of sleeping in his bed with him, when he did sleep. Some nights- most nights- Julian never even made it to his bed. It seemed that he had found a new lead that seemed promising, though he wouldn't share what it was with you. He convinced himself it would be dangerous for you to know. In any case, you helped where you could, answering the weird questions he had about magical theory and practice. On the nights he made it to bed, you climbed in with him. Stealing kisses from you, he cherished the closeness you shared on those nights.

You loved spending the night with him, wrapped in his arms. Even if nothing else happened- and you knew they couldn't ever happen in the palace- sharing his bed was enough for now. Once his theory panned out, you were excited to be able to go home soon. Julian has told you he would know if his theory held water by the time the Count's birthday was over. Since his birthday was in a few months, you were excited about the prospect of being able to return to your normal life, and explore your budding love for him.

He was so close to finding the cure, you decided to keep quiet about the fever you had picked up and the red tinge you noticed on the edge of your irises. He had everything hanging on this final theory of his. He hardly slept now, so he wouldn't notice you sleeping in your own bed, hardly getting up anymore. You wore his clothes, looking for any small comfort. You had been studying the plague too, you knew the symptoms.

What you didn't know, is he had been hiding the same symptoms from you, too. After a particularly _unpleasant_ visit to the Count's chambers, he had started showing signs of sickness as well.

_But he was so close, you couldn't distract him now... Once he found the cure, everything would be okay..._

 


End file.
